Jellyfish, including sea nettles (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) and Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis), are aquatic organisms capable of stinging human tissues and cause local pain. Jellyfish fire toxin-coated harpoons from millions of intra-cellular organelles (nematocysts) into the nerve-rich human dermis, producing instant local pain. The pain and associated rash and swelling can persist for hours to weeks, depending on the species of jellyfish and the person's sensitivity. Many of these stings can cause severe injury and there are also cases reported of deaths.
The jellyfish stinging problem is prominent in the tropical and subtropical regions. In the United States, the stinging problem is particularly troublesome along the shores of the Eastern United States and Gulf Coast. Two species are responsible for most of the reported stings, the sea nettle, which is extremely abundant in the Chesapeake Bay, and the Portuguese man-of-war, which is blown by winds into beach areas, especially in Florida and Texas. It is estimated that approximately one to two million jellyfish sting cases occur annually along these shores. One approach to the stinging problem includes thick mechanical barriers such as clothing. The most common prevention treatment has been to coat the skin with petrolatum or other greasy or oily materials. Australia Patent Specification 44,159/72 (1974) teaches the use of petrolatum and silicone oils to protect against jellyfish stings. Other treatments include those taught in UK Patent Application 2110534 A (1983); EP 610,926 A1 (1994); J. Burnett et al, "A Physical and Chemical Study of Sea Nettle Nematocysts and their toxin", Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Vol. 61, No. 5, pp. 330-336 (1968); A. Salleo, "Gadolinium is a Powerful Blocker of the Activation of Nematocytes of Pelagia noctiluca", J. Exp. Biol, pp.1-6, (1994); and T. Heeger et. al., "Protection of human skin against jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) stings, Marine Biology 113, pp. 669-678 (1992).
Accordingly, a different approach was sought to protect against jellyfish stings.